The present invention relates generally to the construction of large electric motors and the like. In particular, the present invention relates to improvements in the manner in which the motor's lead wires are routed to the exterior of the motor housing.
Large electric motors and the like are typically equipped with a plurality of lead wires. The motor must have power leads, but various sensor and other accessory leads may also be provided. Often, the lead wires are routed through a lead channel throat mounted to the motor's housing. The lead channel throat, in turn, may support a conduit box in which the lead wires are connected to external equipment.
In the past, the lead channel throat has often been mounted near the axial midpoint of the motor housing. As a result, the lead channel may be exposed to heated cooling air circulating inside the motor. The heated air may pass through the lead channel into the conduit box, which may be undesirable for a variety of reasons.
Various gasket arrangements have been located at the lead channel throat to limit the flow of heated air into the conduit box. For example, some lead channel arrangements have been provided with a rubber gasket having holes for passage of the lead wires. The lead wire holes have often been cut or punched into the gasket at the time of assembly. In other arrangements, boots have been molded into neoprene gaskets. Tips of the boots can be cut off at the time of assembly to allow passage of the individual lead wires. This technique has been considered generally undesirable since there is not enough support for the leads.